The present invention relates to a system for reproducing information recorded on an information recording medium.
The applicant of this patent application has provided an information reproducing system disclosed in Japanese Patent Applications 10-107265 and 10-107266.
In the system, an opening is formed at a front panel of a housing for inserting and discharging an optical disc. In the housing, there is provided a plurality of trays for storing recording mediums, a clamp mechanism for positioning the recording medium, and a pickup for reading recorded information.
The trays are stacked and disposed adjacent the opening, and vertically moved so as to position a desired tray at the opening and the clamp mechanism.
When a user instructs a desired tray, the tray is automatically positioned at the opening. When the user inserts an information recorded medium in the opening, the information recorded medium is automatically stored on the tray. Thereafter the stack of trays is vertically moved to a waiting position.
When the user instructs a desired recording medium stored in a tray, the tray is moved to the clamp mechanism, and the information recorded on the recording medium is reproduced by the pickup and a reproducing device.
When the user instructs to discharge a recording medium, the tray storing the recording medium is moved to the opening and the recording medium is discharged from the opening.
If the user inserts a foreign object in the opening or a recording medium is stuck in the device, and the tray is moved in such a condition, the device may break.
An object of the present invention is to provide a system for reproducing information recorded on an information recording medium which may prevent the breakdown of the system caused by abnormal conditions.
According to the present invention, there is provided an information recording medium reproducing system having an insertion opening, a recording medium storing portion and a medium carrying device, the system comprising, instructing means for instructing insertion of the medium in the system, detecting means disposed between the insertion opening and the recording medium storing portion for detecting passing of the recording medium and for producing a passing signal when the medium passes, control means for controlling operation of the medium carrying device, the control means being provided for applying a discharge signal to the medium carrying device when the passing signal is not produced within a predetermined time after the insertion instruction, whereby the medium carrying device is actuated in discharge operation.
The control means is provided for generating a warning signal for giving a user warning of abnormality when the passing signal is not produced within the predetermined time.
The detecting means comprises a plurality of photodetectors.
The photodetectors are disposed for discriminating kinds of the recording mediums.